February 5, 2006 Revelation 12:7-12
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”
Faith involves seeing things as God proclaims them to be, not as you think they will be or as they seem to be. If you think that this world is getting better, you are spiritually blind. If you even think that the unbelievers who surround you are really actually “pretty good” people - you aren’t looking through the eyes of faith. It is sheer delusion when eternal optimists and politicians attempt to make us think that this world is basically a good place that is going to get better. We know - through the eyes of faith, that this world is not “good.” God’s Word paints a much more sinister view on this world. Why? In Revelation 12, our text for today, God says, “that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray . . . was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Notice how John says that Satan doesn’t just have control over the child molesters or the suicide bombers - he leads the whole world astray. This is no fluke passage or anomaly of the scriptures. Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” John also wrote in 1 John 5:19 “the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” Not only does John say Satan is in the world - but that he is able to control the whole world. Do you think it coincidence that Jesus included in the Lord’s Prayer to “deliver us from the evil one” in Matthew 6:13? He knew Satan was a very active and powerful force in this world.
If you don’t think about the devil, if you don’t pray for protection from him, I would have to ask you, “where is your faith?” Martin Luther included in his morning prayer, “that the wicked foe may have no power over me.” He was even convinced that his bowel problems were from Satan. Now, you may laugh at that and regard him as superstitious, but how do you know? Isn’t it better to overestimate an enemy than to underestimate him? You are not doing yourself any favors if you lessen him to a rather mischievous fellow with red tights on who simply likes to untie your shoelaces from time to time. This danger of the devil is all brought to light in our text from Revelation. He is real. He is our number one enemy. John tells us,
The Great Dragon is Down Here
I. He isn’t happy about being hurled down
The text begins by describing a great battle that took place in the heavens. There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. There is some speculation as to whether this is talking about a battle that took place during Jesus’ time or somewhere between creation and the fall. There are also questions as to who Michael actually is? Is this another name for Jesus, since Michael means “who is like the Lord”, or is it referring to a separate archangel? Personally, I would tend to think this is talking about an earlier time, prior to Jesus - and that Michael is an archangel - not symbolic of Christ. This may make good conversation among the intellectuals, but it doesn’t really make too much difference in comparison to the main point in the text. The main point in the text keeps pointing to the fact that Satan has been hurled down to the earth. Again, your necks may want to try and peek into heaven to ask God why He didn’t just send Satan straight to hell, but you will choke on that apple. It is best just to deal with that which is revealed to us in the Scriptures.
The fact is, the Devil is down here. John calls him, “the great dragon, Satan, the devil, the ancient serpent.” Why so many names? Names describe who a person is. None of these are impressive names. The chief name God gives him is Satan. Satan is a Greek derivation of the Aramaic title for devil - it means “adversary.” He has set himself up as God’s number one enemy. Whatever God wants, he wants the exact opposite. Revelation also says that he swept a third of the stars out of the sky - meaning fellow angels. There are several seeming indirect descriptions of God’s adversary in the Old Testament as well - such as Ezekiel 28 -
" ’You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God;
14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.”
Another reference might be from Isaiah 14 -
You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; will make myself like the Most High."
God did not make Satan to be God. If these references are to Satan, he was made to be a “guardian cherub.” That wasn’t good enough for Satan - he wanted to be like God - much like the first temptation he used on Adam and Eve - to be “like God”. Therefore, he was HURLED from heaven - to earth.
Now, Satan has another term - he is called the “devil.” Devil means “accuser” or “slanderer.” A slanderer is someone who likes to spread dirt on people - like the tattle tale at school or the church gossip. In the book of Job, we find him “accusing” Job of being pampered by God and a fair weather believer. I would liken him to the prosecuting attorney who loves to hear people pronounced “guilty” by God. This is Satan’s MAIN weapon - all of the other things he used on Job - the boils, the death, the accusations, were used to produce guilt before God - to get him to blaspheme. That’s how he works. The difference between Satan and the prosecuting attorney is that Satan is also the one who gets us in trouble. You might compare it to the story of Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38. Judah’s son had died, and his wife Tamar was left as a widow. Instead of finding another husband for her, Judah left her remain a childless widow. So Tamar dressed up as a prostitute, and Judah went in and slept with her. When Judah then found out that she was pregnant, he was going to put her to death. But she then used his seal and staff to prove that HE was the one who committed adultery with her. Tamar not only enticed him to sin, but then used that sin against him to get what she wanted. That’s what Satan loves to do - get us to sin and then accuse us of the sin - so that we end up guilty and condemned to hell.
Why would someone be so vile as to want us to end up in hell with him? Think of how a terrorist works. What did those three thousand people in the World Trade Centers do against the Muslim extremists, that they should die? Nothing. But in order to get back at the American government, they struck where they could - by killing her citizens. If you can’t get your neighbor, you kick his dog. Since Satan couldn’t get back at God, he attacked the very people he was created to take care of. Why? John writes, He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short. It’s just a matter of sheer hatred and anger over losing his battle against God. He’s angry and he hates God - plain and simple.
This is a very real threat. The worst thing you can do with this enemy is to IGNORE him - to pretend he doesn’t exist. God’s Word says in 1 Peter 5:8, Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Think about it - do you think it was mere coincidence that Darwin came up with his theory of evolution, and that Lenin bought into it? Do you think that Satan had nothing to do with Hitler’s philosophy of world domination and the eradication of the Jews? Can’t you see that Satan must be at work in the attitude of the world - which turns a blind eye and approves of the very things that God declares to be pure evil. There is such a thing as evil. There is such a person as the evil one - the devil. He is angry that God has counter claimed you at your baptism. He is not happy with the fact that you are here. I would not be surprised if there were even demons here today, listening to what I am saying and looking for openings, for weaknesses in our own body which they can exploit - by turning us against one another.
For us to underestimate him, for us to ignore him, to not think about him - just because we can’t see him - shows a lack of faith. Sometimes it even shows laziness and willing ignorance. When a soldier is commissioned to keep watch around the camp, he can be imprisoned and even put to death for falling to sleep on the watch. The whole life of the unit is his responsibility. He has to keep awake and alert. That’s what God tells us. We are in a war against evil demons. Life isn’t just about whether you make the team, get a girlfriend, can retire in five years, or can buy a new car or home. Don’t forget about the devil. He’s angry. He wants your soul - and he wants your children’s souls and your fellow Christians’ souls. Stay alert.
II. Overcome him by the blood and the Word
At first glance this would seem like an impossible war to win. If I told you to get in a boxing ring with a demon, what in the world could you do? This isn’t like the movies where they pull out some holy water to win the day. Yet this portion of Revelation doesn’t only warn us of the danger of the dragon - it also talks about other powerful beings. Remember what he starts out saying - Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. Michael and his angels were more powerful than Satan and his demons - and these creatures of God were able to win the victory over Satan. These are the same angels as to which God says in Psalm 91:11, “he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” Even though there may be demons here, there are most definitely angels here as well - listening to what I’m saying, and rejoicing in what you are singing. When Elisha was going to be taken captive by the king of the Arameans in 2 Kings chapter 6, his servant was scared to death as the enemy soldiers surrounded where they were. But when Elisha prayed for his eyes to be opened, he saw a hillside FULL of angels - protecting them. It helped calm the servant down. Through the eyes of faith, God wants you to believe that there are angels here - on commission from God - to make sure that the hairs of your head do not fall to the ground without permission from God Almighty.
Yet it’s the next part of this text that can really give us comfort. “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.” Our comfort is drawn to one Man, one conqueror, and that person is Christ. Christ means the Anointed One. He was anointed with power at His baptism - in the gift of the Holy Spirit. With that power he was led into the wilderness, and took on Satan in a head to head 40 day battle of temptations. Jesus won, as He concluded the match by saying to Satan, “away from me.” In Luke 10, when Jesus sent out the 72 disciples, they returned with joy saying, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
But it wasn’t until John 12 that Jesus really showed the extent of His power. In the very week he was betrayed, Jesus said John 12:31, “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." Jesus said he would drive the prince of this world out by fulfilling judgment on this world. That judgment - as we all know - came on HIM on the cross. God’s ANGER over sin came crashing down on JESUS. As Isaiah said, “the punishment, that brings us peace - was upon HIM.” Isaiah also writes in Isaiah 1:18, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” The MAIN WEAPON of the Devil is to be the Devil - the accuser. What would happen to the Devil if he would have NOTHING to accuse us of - if the punishment that God DEMANDED were PAID IN FULL? He would be rendered POWERLESS! All of the evidence against us has been wiped away in the life and death of Christ.
Now John says that weak, helpless, little human beings have a most powerful weapon to fight against the worst terrorist mankind has known. He says that, They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. The great thing is that Jesus’ blood is not in Jerusalem - locked away in a secret cabinet for only the mighty and elite to have access to. Paul asked in Romans chapter 6:3, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” Every time that an infant or adult is baptized, imagine it as if he or she were being drenched in the blood of Christ - covered from head to toe - in God’s sight. What a gift of God - to make His blood accessible through the washing with water and the Word in baptism. This blood stays accessible to us every day in the Word and also in the Lord’s Supper - where we are even allowed to eat and drink that blood. Several years ago they used to have a slogan for Nestea saying, “take the Nestea plunge.” On a hot day, one drink from a Nestea was portrayed as if it were like jumping into a huge pool. When you feel the guilt of the Accuser making you afraid of the heat of hell - take a plunge in the blood of Christ. Remember your baptism. Take the Lord’s Supper. Don’t forget that on the cross Jesus said, “it is FINISHED.” Satan cannot accuse you of one sin because Jesus already paid for ALL of them.
This is all a matter of faith. It’s a matter of trusting in God’s promises of the cross, which is also connected to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. If you want to overcome Satan, you need to cling to Christ and you need to keep proclaiming Christ. Keep on fighting! John wrote, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!” This is keeping with other scriptures as well -
1 Peter 5:9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Ephesians 6:16 Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
In the book of Hebrews, the writer is addressing a group of Jewish Christians, who were being attacked by their fellow Jews - and they were tempted to go back to the old religion - to the way of the law. All for what? So they wouldn’t lose their possessions or their lives? They were flirting with giving up their spiritual lives in order to keep their physical lives! Imagine giving up an eternity in heaven for twenty years of living in a sinful world? They were going to give up the fight!
As I’ve said, we are in a war against a powerful enemy, who sometimes is given the freedom to hurt us and ruin our reputations. He is still in control of this world - and he is showing his influence more and more as we witness the secularization of our society. BUT NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO RETREAT. NOW IS THE TIME TO FIGHT. We have the most powerful weapon with which to fight Satan. Isn’t it amazing that God gives us - puny humans - such a powerful weapon - in the message of the death and resurrection of Christ - which can give us hope and power to keep Satan at bay? As Luther wrote and we sing,
Though devils all the world should fill, All eager to devour us,
We tremble not, we fear no ill, They shall not overpower us.
This world’s prince may still Scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none, He’s judged; the deed is done’
On little word can fell him.
As long as we hold to the faith - that Christ is our Savior, the devil cannot win. If you look at the big picture, the war is already won. Satan already lost. Yet he keeps on fighting until Judgment Day - without his best weapon. The truth is we can hand it to him - put him in his place - make him run for cover - as long as we cling to Christ. Puny as we are, we have the most mighty in the world - the blood of the cross.
When I was back in college, my roommate had a drunk man come up to him and try and pick a fight with him. He wasn’t a weakling, but he was a little guy - standing about 5 foot 6 - with a great sense of humor. I’ll never forget his reply - “I’m a lover, not a fighter.” I still laugh about it. The guy walked away thankfully without a fight. Satan won’t. Like it or not, the Great Dragon is down here and he’s battling for your soul. He’s not going to leave you alone if you leave him alone. Believe you me, he or one of his demons are studying you, looking for a weak spot. It’s a scary fight to be in - to fight against demons you cannot see or touch. Like it or not, we have to fight. But God has given us a powerful weapon in the Gospel. Jesus already conquered Satan with His blood. Cling to that blood. Use the gospel to fight Satan. Don’t back down. Don’t forget, Michael and the angels are on your side as well. With these weapons, we will end up in heaven, while the devil goes straight to hell on the Great Day of Judgment. Amen.
